EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The City of Sunland Park is formally requesting that the Doña Ana County Commission delay a final vote on a proposed $165 billion Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) for “Project Jupiter,” a large-scale data center development planned for Santa Teresa.
At its Sept. 9 meeting, the Sunland Park City Council unanimously passed a resolution directing staff to work with state and County leaders to carefully assess the impacts of “this unprecedented project,” Sunland Park said in a news release.
The resolution highlights key areas of concern, including housing affordability, water supply, transportation and mobility, stormwater management, and public safety.
Mayor Javier Perea said that the City is not taking a position for or against the project at this time, stating, “We are not yet saying we are against the $165 billion bond or the data centers. What we are saying is that we need adequate time to study the massive project before making a determination.”
One of the City’s primary concerns is the large amount of water required to build and operate the project’s four data centers, Sunland Park said.
“We are right next door, so we have to ask, where is that water coming from?” Perea said. “This and a host of other issues should be addressed to ensure quality of life for our current residents.”
Additional impacts include strain on roads and truck routes passing through Sunland Park, potential pressure on housing markets, and the added demand on police, fire, and emergency services, Sunland Park said in its news release.
“As mayor, and with the full support of the Council, I have a responsibility to my constituents to fully explore and investigate the $165 billion bond,” Perea said. “So, we are making a formal request to the County to postpone the vote until these critical issues have been fully addressed.”
The Doña Ana County Commission is expected to consider the bond at its Sept. 19 meeting.
Here you can read a copy of the Sunland Park mayor’s letter to the Doña Ana County Commission.
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